


Rank Three

by ravenwing602



Category: Original Work
Genre: 23rd Century, Angst, Bisexual Female Character, Botched Robbery, Corrupt Government Agencies, Cyborgs, Discrimination, Dystopia, F/F, Forced Labor, Future America, Government Persecution, Interracial Relationship, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Themes, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Character of Color, M/M, Mentor/Protégé, Multi, Non-consensual Medical Procedures, Pickpocketing, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Robots, Romance, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sci-Fi Underground Railroad, Science Fiction, Shoplifting, Some Fluff, Stealing, Teen Romance, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, stealing to survive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-02 05:07:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13311165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenwing602/pseuds/ravenwing602
Summary: It is the twenty-third century. Technology has leaped ahead of society, creating solutions to humanity's every problem. War, poverty, hunger, all destroyed by the miracles of science. For the average citizen, life is better than ever before in history, but there is a dark truth behind this endless prosperity. Labor camps populated by unfortunate victims of injury or illness forcibly made into cyborgs produce cheap goods for public consumption. After a terrible childhood accident which left her paraplegic and forcibly made into a cyborg , Alex Stossel is rescued from the fate of her fellows by an underground society for the liberation of 'mechs' like her. Raised in the arms of this organization, Alex's life is tumultuous but safe until she meets university student Natalie Joshi in a botched robbery. The girls quickly fall into a relationship, but their situation is dangerous and outside forces threaten to tear them, and Alex's family, apart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying Rank Three. This story is my baby and I've worked hard on it for months now, so I hope you appreciate it! If you really like it and want to support it, it would be amazing if you subscribed to my pateron! Becoming a patron has a bunch of cool perks, like early access to new chapters, the ability to make drabble requests and access to my discord channel! If that seems interesting, please go here and subscribe: www.patreon.com/frozenrika

“And in other news, the CEO of Allen Robotics has unveiled the newest model of the T987 home assistant droid, nicknamed the ‘Clarice’ model. This newest take on the popular home droid has an upgraded power module, a more advanced AI, and several new functions that CEO Williamson will reveal later this week at the Expo.”

“Can we please watch something else? This is boring.” 

Alex glanced over at her sister, brow raised. “The news is important, Amanda,” she said. 

Her sister scoffed, “This isn’t news, this is an ad for Allen Robotics. If you want to listen to the news, TREL News isn’t the place to do it. All they do is kiss up to that asshole Williamson. Switch it to FNN, at least they talk about real things.” 

Alex laughed, “And all they do is complain about mechs and droids, they don’t bother to cover important things. Liberal propaganda isn’t news, little sister.” 

“Excuse me! Liberal propaganda? Trying to help people isn’t propaganda, it’s called being a decent person,” Amanda hissed. 

“Droids and mechs aren’t real people, they’re made of metal and code, not flesh and bone,” Alex argued. 

“Yes, they are, are you stupid? Mechs are human too, just because they have robotic parts doesn’t make them droids!” Amanda yelled. 

“Are you two arguing again?” their mother hollered. The sisters winced. “If you can’t decide on a program, shut off the TV and go do something productive! Otherwise, quit yammering!” 

Amanda shot her a nasty glare, jumping off the couch and flipping her hair. She strode out of the room, and a moment later the house AI announced that she had left the residence. 

“Geez, drama queen,” Alex muttered, reaching for the remote on the coffee table. She turned up the volume and tried to listen to the reporter ramble on about the Robotics Expo, but she lost focus after a few minutes. Grumbling, she turned off the TV, stretching out on the couch. 

“New voice message for Alex from Bear Bear,” the house AI said, “Read message?” 

“No, send to my phone. House, text Amanda: Damn it, don’t change my contact names! This is the third time! End message,” Alex growled, reaching into her back pocket to grab her vibrating phone. 

“Message sent to Little Sister. Send another message?” 

“No,” she muttered, powering on her phone and playing the message. 

“Hey, girl!” the phone chirped, “it’s Brit, so me and some of the other girls were thinking about seeing that new movie on Friday, ya know, the one with the guy who goes into space to terraform Mars? Hannah said the guy who played Jack in the Terra Chronicles is in it, so she and I want to go, but you said you weren't a fan of him. Anyway, tell me if you wanna come!” 

Alex tapped the screen, opening Brit’s contact page to reply. “Sure, sounds good. I’ll have to ask my mom, she’s weird about the whole watching PG-13 movies before I’m thirteen, but if she says yes, I’ll show up. I’ll tell you tomorrow during class if I can go.” She sent the message, along with a small smiley face. Standing up, she shoved her phone back into her pocket. She sighed and walked out of the living room, walking into the kitchen. 

“Hey, Mom can I go to the movies with the girls on Friday? They want to see the Sanderson movie that just came out,” she asked, leaning against the doorframe. 

Her mother turned around, taking the oven mitts off and setting them aside. She raised a brow, a small frown on her lips. “What’s the rating?” she asked. There was flour on her cheek, the white powder standing out against her dark skin. 

Alex snorted, “Mom, you’ve got some stuff on your cheek. Also, why are you baking? You never bake.” 

Her mom wiped her sleeve over her cheek and rolled her eyes. “I am allowed to try out new things, and don’t think you can distract me, girl. What is the rating.” 

Alex sighed, “PG-13. But it’s just because of swearing, it’s not violent or anything like that and there’s no nudity.” 

Her mother made a noncommittal noise, “I’ll think about it. Did your sister say where she was going before she stormed out? She has to leave for practice in half an hour, and if she ain’t here she ain’t going nowhere.” 

Alex shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know, she just jumped up and left.” 

“User: Amanda Stossel, has not left the property,” the house interjected. 

“Is she just sulking in the hallway?” she asked incredulously. 

“House, tell Amanda to come inside and get ready for practice,” her mother commanded. 

A few moments passed before the house said, “User: Amanda Stossel, has entered the residence.” 

She slammed the door, and stomped over to the kitchen. 

“Your uniform just came out of the wash, the ‘79 should be folding them now,” their mother said. 

Amanda nodded and left the room, glaring at her sister. 

Alex crossed her arms and glared back. “Stop antagonizing your sister and go find something to do.” 

“Yes, Mama,” Alex muttered, pushing herself up. She walked back into the living room, grabbing her backpack off the couch where she had dumped it earlier. She went past the TV into the hallway, making her way to her room. She could hear Amanda shuffling around in the bathroom, angrily muttering to herself. Alex walked past her, stopping at her door. 

“Unlock door,” she muttered, grabbing the handle. With a click, the lock disengaged. Pushing it open, Alex stepped in and dropped her backpack on the floor. She kicked it shut behind her and pulled out her phone. She turned it on, clicking open her texts before shuffling over to her bed and flopping down onto it. 

She scrolled through the messages from friends, responding to the important ones before clicking out of the app. Listlessly, she opened the news, perusing the headlines. There wasn’t much, some B List actress was pregnant, there was a large storm a few states to the south, and a short report on Allen Robotics. 

Bored, she turned off her phone, starring up at the ceiling. A loud growl came from her closet, and when she turned to look, her cat was trying to free himself from a discarded shirt. “Really, Cap? Why are you in my laundry?” she asked. 

The cat hissed loudly, and disentangled himself from the flowy red sleeves. He shook himself, loose blonde hairs falling all over the carpet. 

Alex groaned, “You are the reason this room is never clean, Cap.” The light brown tabby meowed loudly, padding over to the bed and jumping up. He laid down next to her, purring. Alex smiled and reached out to stroke his head. 

“Hey, cutie,” she said, rubbing the base of his ears. Cap happily bumped his head against her hand. She laughed and leaned back, closing her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mistakes happen, old families are broken and new ones form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Twitter: @FrozenRika  
> My Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/blog/rikathefrozen

“I call shotgun!” Amanda yelled, running out of the elevator.

Alex rolled her eyes, adjusting her purse strap and following after her sister. Down the row of parking spaces, their old silver car chirped loudly, its lights flashing once. She walked down the aisle, watching Amanda pull open the passenger door and jump inside.

“I guess I’ll sit in the back then,” Alex muttered, “it’s not like I’m the one that needs to go somewhere or anything.”

“Don’t be obnoxious, Alex. You’re sister’s only been allowed in the front for a few weeks, she’s excited,” her mother said.

She groaned, crossing the aisle and pulling open the back door. She plopped down in the seat, glaring when Amanda smirked at her. The driver’s door opened a moment later and their mother slid inside.

Their mother closed the door, the dashboard lighting up as she sat down. A holographic map of the city spread over the dash, and a pop up asked for a destination. Her mother sent it to the screen in front of Alex. She typed out the theater's name, selecting the correct address from a list of similarly named businesses. The pop up disappeared, the map lighting their route in bright red. “Seat buckles, girls,” she reminded, glancing at them through the rear view mirror.

Alex ignored her mother, pulling out her phone and scrolling through the notifications. She heard two clicks and then the engine started.

“If Alex likes this movie, can I see it later?” Amanda asked.

“Absolutely not,” their mother answered, looking into the rear mirror and pulling out of the parking spot. Alex snickered quietly, sticking her tongue at her younger sister.

“Aw, why not? I really want to watch it!” Amanda whined, “it looks really good!”

“You can see it. When you’re twelve. In two years we’ll see about letting you go to PG-13 movies, but right now? Absolutely not,” their mother said.

Her sister pouted, slumping down in her seat. A moment later she perked up, looking over the seat at Alex. “Will you buy me some gummies from the theater?” she asked.

Alex glanced up from her phone, “Maybe, give me a second.” She dug into her pockets, pulling out her wallet. She picked out her cash, counting how much she had. Twenty-three credits from babysitting and a half spent gift card to the local holobook store she won in a math competition. "Sure, what kind do you want?" she asked, shoving her wallet back into her jacket.

Her sister shrugged, “I don’t care, whatever they have.” She yelped as the car ran over a speed bump, and a moment later they emerged from the parking garage. She turned back around, staring out of the windshield in fascination.

“So, is this the old theater on Davidson road?” their mother asked, “or is it the new one by the bullet train station?”

Alex paused, brow furrowing. “Uh Nickelodeon 18, that’s the new one, right?” she asked, hesitant. She had never been good at directions, relying on GPS or friends to find new places.

“Yep,” her mom said, turning the steering wheel. “And you said the movie is over at six, yes? Are you girls going to hang out afterward or do you want me to come pick you up after the movie?”

“I don’t really know. Brit said something about wanting to try that Mexican joint across the street, but we don’t have anything really planned,” Alex offered, “I guess I’ll text you after we decide.”

“Alright, but you better not forget this time,” her mother warned, glaring at her through the mirror. "I don't want a repeat of last time where you don't come back until eleven o'clock, alright?"

Alex rubbed the back of her head, flashing her mother an overly bright smile. “It won’t happen again, promise.” Her mom hummed, looking back at the road.

The car fell silent, and Alex went back to her phone. She sent a message to Brit that they were almost there, and opened different chat to text another friend.

“Mom!” Amanda screamed, pointing out the window.

Alex’s head jerked up, catching sight of a blue truck and the terrified man inside moments before it hit. She was thrown to the other side of the car, her forehead cracking against the window and her vision going black.

 

* * *

 

Beep, beep, beep.

Alex groaned, wincing at the noisy machines. Her eyes fluttered open. She blinked once, confused by the sterile, gauzy white ceiling. “Mom?” she said, her voice hoarse and scratchy. She turned her head, brow furrowed. Several machines stood by her bed, displaying a whole bunch of random information. She pushed herself up, grimacing at the painful pull at her left shoulder. She reached out to rub the massage the bruises, frowning when her fingers met cool metal instead of flesh. 

Alex looked over in confusion and screamed. “Oh my god, what the hell!” she yelled, holding up her arm in shock. From the shoulder downwards, her arm was missing. In it’s place, silver machinery shone, an exact copy of her real arm. Slim, almost dainty fingers ran seamlessly into a metal palm, a delicate wrist flowing into a gross parody of an arm. She flexed the digits, slapping a hand over her mouth when they twitched.

“Mom!” she yelled, flinging her arms out. The fake arm smacked into the wall, cracking the plaster. She yanked it into her chest, holding it against her torso with her other arm.

A moment later, the door burst open, and a nurse hurried inside the room. Before it swung shut, Alex could see two bulky men take positions in the outside hall.

“Oh, you’re awake! That’s great news, honey!” she chirped, ignoring the startled look Alex gave her. She walked over to the machinery, pulling a clipboard off the side the largest machine. The nurse flipped through it, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a pen. “You were in a pretty nasty crash, sweetheart,” she said, “the doctors weren’t sure if you were going to make it, even with the prosthetics.”

Alex choked, “Wait, prosthetics? As in more than one?”

The nurse bowed her head, “Yes, prosthetics. The left arm from the rotator cuff, both legs at the thigh, and the liver. You were hurt pretty bad, you’ve been out for two weeks. You went into shock midway through the operation, but luckily for you, Doctor Henry is the most experienced cyborg surgeons in the city. He got you patched up quick, but you went into a coma a few hours after the surgery.”

Alex shivered, glancing at the arm clutched to her chest. “I want to go home,” she whispered. Her vision swam, and she fell onto the bed, eyes wide. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her chest constricting painfully. The machines beside her erupted into a cacophony of screeching, crimson numbers flashing across the screens.

The nurse set the clipboard on the heartbeat monitor, taking a hesitant step closer to her. “Alexandra,” she began, “sweetie, I need to you to calm down. You’re having a panic attack. You’re perfectly fine, no one will hurt you, but I need you to work with me, sweetheart. If you lose control the men outside will come in and forcibly sedate you. I need you to work with me, alright?”

She shook her head rapidly, staring up at the nurse in petrified horror.

“Alex, can I touch you? I can help you, but I need you to let me help you,” she murmured.She sobbed and nodded, her vision blurring as her eyes filled with tears. The nurse smiled and reached out, delicately taking her right hand. She splayed Alex’s real fingers and put it against her chest, right above her heart. “Alright, breathe with me, honey. In. Out. In. Out. Just like that, you’re doing great.” 

Below her fingers, the nurse’s heart beat was steady. She rubbed her thumb in small circles over Alex’s knuckles, murmuring random encouragements. Once she could breathe again, she pulled her hand away, holding it against her own heart. She looked up at the nurse tears in her eyes. “Wha-what’s going to happen to me?” she sobbed.

The nurse sighed, “Well, how much do you know about cyborg legal classifications?”

Alex choked back a laugh, “Enough, my sister is always going on about mech rights and stuff. She’s obsessed with it.”

The nurse smiled, “Alright, at least you have some idea. While you were asleep agents from the Cyborg Control Agency classified you. They were undecided for while, your left lung deflated and the doctors weren’t sure if they needed to have it replaced or not, but they managed to get it back into working order. And you’re pretty lucky they did. If you had that lung replaced you would have been a Four, but right now you’re a Three.”

Alex bit her lip, digging her fingers into the new arm. “What does that mean? Can I go home?” she murmured.

The nurse shook her head, “I don’t know, honey. Usually, no, but we don’t have a lot of young kids here. Most people that come through here are adults or older teens. The board might let you stay with your family until you’re eighteen, but they might not. They’re meeting about your case in…” she pulled a watch out of her pocket, “an hour. When they reach a verdict I’ll come let you know.”

Alex nodded, eyes watering.

“I’ll get your mom, alright? Both she and your sister are still here, I think they went down to the cafeteria a few minutes ago, and your dad stopped by as well a few hours ago.”

Her lip quivered and she nodded, ignoring the smile the nurse sent her. The door opened again, and Alex got another look at the men outside, this time she could see the butt and muzzle of a large rifle in their hands. She shivered as the it swung closed. She dropped her new arm, letting it fall into her lap.

Her breathing hitched. The metal looked and moved to be indistinguishable from a real limb, muscle lines etched into the metal, and there were faint bumps on the hand that mimicked skin covered bone.  There weren’t any visible wires, but a series of small screws at the joints hinted at the machinery beneath the faux skin. Alex held out the prosthetic, imagining curling her fingers as if she was going to grab an object. She gasped as the digits twitched into position, curling inward like a dead insect.

A loud knock came from the entrance, and muffled voices came from outside hallway. A moment later, it opened and her mom stepped into the room.

“M-momma!” Alex cried, lurching upward. She threw the scratchy, cheap blanket off and swung her legs over the bed. She tried to stand, only for her legs to buckle under her weight.

Her mom ran across the room, catching her before she fell. “Don’t stand up, Allie,” she murmured, “Come on, back on the bed.”

Alex shook her head, throwing her arms around her mother’s neck. “Momma!” she sobbed.

Her mother kissed her forehead, lifting and pushing her onto the bed. She took Alex’s hands in her own, pulling them away from her neck and clutching them. “It’s alright, everything’s gonna be alright, you’ll see, baby,” she murmured, brushing Alex hair out of her face.

“I don't know what's going on, Mom,” Alex said, voice shaking, “I’m scared.”

“I know, I know you are, but I need you to be strong, alright, baby girl? Your dad is going to talk to the board, and once the hospital lets you go we’ll take you home and everything will go back to normal.”

Alex shook her head, clinging to her mother. “No, no it’s not Momma! My arm and my legs are gone! I’m a freak, a mech!”

“You are not a freak,” her mother insisted, “you are an amazing, strong, smart young woman. There is nothing wrong with you or with being a mech. It’s going to be a challenge for you to adapt, but I know you’ll be able to do it.”

Alex sobbed, “But how are we going pay for this?” she questioned, gesturing to the prosthetics, “we don’t have the money for these.”

Her mother gave a watery chuckle. “Let your father and I take care of the money, you don’t need to worry over the bill. Right now, we just need to focus on taking you home with us. The doctors are pretty optimistic about that, though. You’ve never gotten into trouble at school, and neither your father or I have a criminal history, they don’t think there’s anything that the board could use to take you from us. We’ll be home and safe before you know it, so don’t worry and just focus on getting better.”

Alex’s shoulders shook, her nails digging into her palms. “How can I not worry, Mom? My life is ruined!” she cried.

“No, no it’s not, it’s going to be a little different from what you expected, but it’ll be OK. Everything will work out in the end,” she whispered, smiling at her daughter.

The door slammed open and Amanda burst into the room, “Alex!” she yelled, grinning wildly at the sight of her older sister. Alex yelped and flinched away, curling in on herself.

“Alex! Alex, let go of me!” her mom yelped, tugging her arm. Alex released her mother, startled.

Her mother straightened up, rubbing her wrist and wincing. There was an angry red handprint over dark skin, and as the moments passed, the redness darkened to an menacing purple.

“Shit! Mom, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean too, honest!” Alex exclaimed, heart in her throat. She mentally berated herself, she didn't know how to use it yet, she shouldn't have tried to touch her mom. 

Her mom gave her a weak smile, “It’s fine sweetie, I know it was an accident. You’ll just have to get a handle on that strength of yours.”

“I will, I promise!” she insisted.

“Alex?” Amanda whispered, her voice soft. She turned to her sister, eyes wide. Her little sister took a step forward, briefly hesitating before continuing forward. “Can I sit down?” she asked. Alex nodded. Her sister smiled and sat beside her, brushing their sides together.

 “Be careful, I don’t know what it’ll do,” Alex muttered, gesturing to her metal arm.

“I’m not worried about it,” Amanda reassured her, putting a hand on Alex’s thigh. “Can you feel it when I touch the metal?” she asked, brushing her fingers along the seam between her thigh and the mechanics.

Alex bit her lip. “A little,” she admitted. The sensation wasn’t like regular touch. She could sense that something was putting pressure on the metal, but the nuanced parts of touch like texture or temperature were lost. It was trying to feel something through thick gloves, indistinct but recognizable.

“I was reading a bit about the details of prosthetics,” Amanda admitted, “I found out that in the beginning, people couldn’t feel anything, so they had a tendency to underestimate their strength and put their limbs through walls. But after a while, scientists figured out how to attach pressure sensors to the ‘skin’ of the prosthetics, and then wire that to the person's nerves. I found a bunch tips on how to learn to control it though! When we get back to the apartment, you can practice! Think about it, you’ll never need a nut cracker again! And you’ll be able to open those annoying sealed plastic packages without scissors, it’ll be awesome!”

 Their mom chuckled, “Maybe with those metal legs you’ll finally be able to catch the school bus for once.”

 Amanda snickered, “That’s if she remembers to actually wake up.”

 Alex giggled, and leaned into her sister. Her heart was light, but the nurse's words rung through her mind. “You’re so mean,” she complained, snuggling close to Amanda.

“It’s because I love you,” Amanda said, wrapping her arms around Alex.

She smiled and hugged her in return, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you too, little nerd,” she whispered. She and Amanda were never the closest of siblings, but she was glad that it was her sister beside her instead of anyone else.

The door opened, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Dad!” Alex gasped.

Her father walked in, a small, sad smile on his lips, “Hey, kiddo. How’re you feeling?” he asked, pausing at the foot of her bed.

“Like I got hit by a truck,” she said, giggling at her own joke.

Her father chuckled sardonically, patting her ankle. “Well, you say that enough, I guess it was bound to happen at some point.”

“Markus!” her mother hissed.

“Alright, alright. I won’t make any truck jokes,” he relented.

Alex bit her lip, smiling. “It’s fine, Mom. We’ll just have to Ford-ge ahead,” she teased, smiling at her mother.

“Oh my god! Truck puns!” Amanda howled, cackling like a witch.

“Oh geez,” their mother muttered, “you lot can’t be serious for more than five minutes.”

“Aw, come on, Isabel, lighten up,” their dad chuckled, elbowing her in the side.

“You are all ridiculous. Mark, could you pull up a chair? My legs are starting to ache.”

“Of course, dear,” he said, grabbing the pair of chairs sitting by the door and dragging them towards the bed. He set the chairs in front of the sisters, gesturing for his wife to sit.

When both her parents sat, Alex spoke up. “What happened? I remember the truck coming towards us and the collision, but I hit my head after that and passed out. Why did I have to have things amputated?” she asked. Amanda squeezed her shoulder, cuddling close to her.  

Her mother sighed, “After we got hit, your head crashed into the car window. If it had stopped there, you would have just had a concussion and a broken humerus, but another car rammed us from behind. You went through the window and landed on the road. But the car… it rolled on top of you.”

Her sister shivered, reaching out and grabbing Alex’s metal palm. “I never want to be in a car crash again,” she whispered, “I thought we were all going to die.”

Their father put a hand on her knee. “But that didn’t happen. Nobody died and now we’re all safe. Alex probably won’t be able to attend that magnet high school she wanted, but past that, nothing bad will happen to us.”

Amanda sniffed, “You promise?”

He chuckled. “Yes, I promise. We’re your parents, it’s our jobs to protect you girls, and we won’t let you get hurt.” Amanda nodded, rubbing her face with her sleeve.

“Alex, honey, are you hungry?” their mother asked.

Alex shook her head, “I’m fine, Momma. I don’t think I could stomach eating right now.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?” her mom joked, “the real Alex never turns down food.”

“The cardboard they sell here doesn’t count as food, Isabel. I think she’s got the right idea,” their dad said.

Amanda giggled, “You didn’t have to eat it for three days, Dad.”

He raised a brow, “And neither did you. You were in the other hospital.”

Alex frowned, “Wait, what do you mean other hospital? Aren’t we in Capital Hospital? What other place is there?”

“Er, Alex… You know mechs aren’t allowed in regular hospitals, right?” Amanda said. 

“What do you mean? What on earth is going on!” she demanded.

“Calm down, honey. We’re in St. Anthony’s. It’s the one right down the street from Capital,” their mother soothed.

“The prison hospital?” Alex exclaimed, head jerking around, “why are we here?”

Their father winced. “Alex, you need to stay calm. If the guards outside hear someone yelling they’ll come in and sedate you. St. Anthony’s isn’t a prison hospital, it’s a mech hospital.”

Alex looked between her parents. “Wait, this is the one with the barbed wire around the outside, right? The one that’s always swarming with cops? If this isn’t a prison, why are they here?” she questioned.

“Alex, do you remember a few weeks ago at dinner when I was talking about rank four mechs? About how they’re shipped off to the mining stations?” Alex nodded. “A few decades ago, in some other city, a rank four freaked out when they woke up from their operation. This was when there were only a few security guards, but this girl woke up and freaked out. She punched a nurse so hard he ended up in a coma, and then ran away so she wasn’t sold off. The cops went after her and she ended up killing three people before they eventually shot her. After that, mech hospitals were all equipped with electric fences, armed guards, police dogs, that kind of thing.”

Alex scoffed, “They think I'll go crazy and kill someone? Because of some chick years ago?”

“Yes. Yes they do,” Amanda said.

“Amanda, don’t scare your sister. Alex, the guards are there so that new mechs don’t hurt themselves by accident when they wake up. You’re handling this very well, but most people don’t.”

Alex glanced between her parents, unsure.

“It’ll be fine,” her dad said, “but you need to try to keep it down, alright? As long as you’re on your best behaviour nothing will happen.”

“Let’s talk about something else, thinking about this so much won’t help,” her mom interupted.

The family acquiesced, and the conversation turned to anything that wasn’t the accident or Alex’s new limbs. They chattered aimlessly about classes, the new client their dad had, the new family that moved into the empty apartment down the hall, random, unimportant topics. A few minutes in, Amanda had grabbed her arm, and for the first time in years, Alex didn’t pull away. They talked all the way through the hour, Alex hadn’t even realized the time before the door opened and the guards walked inside.

“Alex Stossel, your case is being heard in conference room thirty-two. Come with us and we will escort you,” one of the men ordered.

Alex glanced at her father, clenching her hand around Amanda’s. He smiled at her, standing up and holding out a hand. She grabbed it, pulling herself to her feet. She nearly fell forward, but Amanda tugged her back to steady her. Alex stumbled to find her footing, eventually settling with one foot in front of the other.

“Maybe she won’t be able to catch the bus after all,” her sister muttered.

“I can hear you, you know. I’m working on it,” Alex grunted. With her father holding her up, she took a few hesitant steps forward, brow furrowed in concentration. Pulling her leg up to step forward pulled on the pink skin along the seam between metal and flesh, and a few times she had to stop to give herself time to recover. With her family’s guidance, she managed to make her way to the exit, growing more and more confident in herself as she went.

 

They walked out of the room, Alex stumbling along after the guards. It was hard to judge her balance with the limited sensory input, and combined with flares of pain from the seams she kept falling into her father. The men pushed the family through the corridor, leading them too an elevator on the far wall. The four of them piled inside, the guards moving between Alex and the door. They stared at her for the duration of the ride, adjusting their weapons every few seconds.

She clenched her dad’s palm, pressing herself into his side. He squeezed in return and gave her a confident smile. Alex glanced at the screen, watching the numbers climb as the elevator rose. As the numbers reached seven the car slowed to a stop, jostling the occupants. Alex yelped as her legs buckled, pushing into her tender thighs.

In an instant, the guards’ guns made a quiet click sound, the muzzles pointed at Alex’s head

She froze, eyes wide. Amanda whimpered beside her.

“What the hell are you doing?” her mother yelled, stepping in front of her daughters. `

The guards stared at her a moment before moving their weapons. “Standard procedure, ma’am,” one of them declared, “new mechs are unpredictable.”

“And your solution is to threaten children with firearms?” she accused.

The guard scoffed. “These don’t fire bullets, they’re just tranquilizers. Perfectly safe, it won’t hurt the younger girl if she got shot.”

“Isabel, stop. We can’t afford to make a scene,” her father murmured, grabbing his wife by the wrist.

Her mother spun around, fury etched into her face. She opened her mouth, but a glance and the girls' terrified expressions had her falling silent.

“This way,” the left guard ordered, gesturing into the hall.

The family filed out, clustering around Alex. The men led them past several dozen doors and around a corner, stopping outside a wooden frame with a plaque that declared it as conference room thirty-two. Their guards opened the door and took up positions on either side, glaring at Alex.

Her father wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into the room. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. It resembled every conference room from any movie ever, a long table with chairs lining the sides, a large hologram projecting medical records on the far wall.

Underneath the hologram, a trio of lawyers sat, two brunet men and a blonde woman. Laid out in front of them was a sea of projected documents, Alex's school records, newspaper articles about her math competitions, it seemed like records of everything Alex had done was there.

“Ah, the Stossel family, I presume? Please, sit,” the man seated in the middle said.

Alex bit her cheek, glancing at her parents. Her father pushed her forward, pulling out a chair at the end of the table for her. Her parents sat either side of her, and Amanda sat on a plastic chair leaning against the wall.

The woman cleared her throat and pressed a button on her watch. The hologram jumped forward, coming to a stop in front of her. “You are Alexandra Grace Stossel, correct?” she asked. Alex nodded. “Twelve years old, you were categorized as a rank three cyborg while you were in your coma, were you made aware of this?” Again, she nodded. “Good, good. Now, you are in a legal limbo. You are a minor, and too young to be emancipated and judged as an adult. If you were an adult, you would have be sent to a cyborg town to find work and pay your medical bills, but you are too young to work. I’ve also been informed that the Marie Allen Charitable Foundation has paid for your surgeries and prosthetics.”

“It has?” Alex sputtered.

“Yep, a week ago a representative got in contact with us. They offered to cover the full cost of the medical bills,” her father said, smiling.

“Oh…”

“Yes, well that puts you in a strong position to keep your legal independence. We pulled your school and legal records, you’ve never been arrested, and your school had nothing but good things to say about you,” the second man said.

“Wait, does that mean I can go home? I can go back to school?” she interrupted, her heart in her throat.

“Not quite,” the woman said, “rank two mechs and below are forbidden from public education. But it is possible for you to return to your home. Typically, in cases like yours, you’ll be put on probation. That means you’ll have to meet with an officer from the Cyborg Control Agency at least once a week, and you must attend physical therapy. You'd have therapy either way, but it will be far more pleasant from home. If you fail to meet with your parole officer more than once or you are involved in a violent incident where a non-cyborg is injured, no matter how minor, you will be sent to a group home for cyborg children. Once you reach eighteen your case will then be reevaluated, and either you will be sent to a mech town or sent to another city. Capital city has laws against mechs with criminal histories staying within city borders, but depending on the severity of the offense you may be forgiven by the Cyborg Relations Office.”

Alex nodded, a grin spreading on her lips. “I can deal with that, no problem!” she declared.

“I’m certain you can, the law is much more sympathetic to minor cyborgs than adults. As long as you stay out of trouble, you’ll be able to go home,” the first man explained.

“That’s wonderful news, honey!” her mother exclaimed, placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

At once, the trio’s faces fell, their gazes locked on her mother’s wrist. Confused, Alex looked followed their gazes and froze. On her mother’s wrist, right where Alex had grabbed her, was a menacing purple bruise, the exact shape and size as her new hand.

“Mrs. Stossel,” the woman murmured, her voice calm, “where did you get that bruise?”

Her mother yanked her arm back, wrenching her sleeve down.

“I did it!” Amanda interrupted, panicked, “the guards scared me, and I grabbed her!”

“Mrs. Stossel, is that the truth?” the woman questioned, “please do not lie to us. It will only hurt your daughter’s case further if you try to cover up anything she did. Remember, we have the security cameras.”

Her mother grimaced and rubbed her wrist. “I was holding Alex’s hand, and the door slammed open. It startled both of us. Alex squeezed my wrist, but she didn’t know how hard she was grabbing me. It was an honest mistake, an accident, she just doesn’t know her own strength yet.”

The trio glanced between each other, the man on the left leaning to whisper to his compatriots. She muttered something in response, and he straightened up.

“Miss Stossel, step outside, please. The guards will take you back to your room,” she ordered.

“Go on sweetheart, we’ll be right behind you,” her father murmured, patting her shoulder.

“Are you sure, Dad?” she whispered, looking between her parents.

“Yes, I’m sure. It’ll be fine honey, give just give us a moment,” he said.

She let out a shuddering breath, standing up and walking to the door, almost falling flat on her face. She fell onto the doorknob, trying to keep her shaky legs upright. Once she was sure of her footing, she straightened up and pulled open the door, glancing between the guards with apprehension.

The one on the left grabbed her real arm, hauling her out of the room. She yelped, and the door closed behind her, leaving her alone in the empty corridor with the two men. Without a word, the pulled her down the hall, ignoring her stumbling attempts to keep up. The one that didn’t have a hold on her pressed the button, and the doors opened a moment later.

The guard pushed her inside, snickering when she almost tripped.

Alex grabbed the railing with her real hand, locking her arms to stay upright. The car jolted into movement a moment later once again jarring her legs. The ride down was silent, tension thick in the air. When the elevator stopped she stepped forward, shaky but managing to walk unassisted. She stumbled through the hallway. This time around, nurses and other non-mechs were bustling around the corridor. Nurses in light blue uniforms ran around, and civilians congregated outside rooms and near water fountains.

She shrunk back from the curious looks sent her way, wrapping her arms around herself and ducking her head. As they reached the end of the hallway, they walked past a small bench next to a large potted plant where a man with a dirty hat coat sat, reading a holo-novel. They passed a few more doors until they reached her room. The taller guard pulled out a key chip from his pocket and held it up to a smooth metal panel next to the knob, waving it around until the door let out a quiet click.

“Inside,” he ordered, pointing into the sterile room. His partner released her, stepping away from her and wiping his palm on his pants.

She stepped past them, making her way over to the bed. The door slammed shut after her with a bang. She flinched, losing her balance and stumbling into the mattress. She groaned and pushed herself upright, wincing at the sharp ache in her shoulder. She turned and sat on the bed, rubbing the bruised flesh. Lowering her arm, she held it in her lap, side by side with her new one. The shiny, silvery metal glimmered next to dark brown skin, a mocking parody of what she had lost.

“This is really happening isn’t it?” she whispered. She laughed, eyes watering. “Of course it is, my life is over! My entire arm is gone! I can’t even walk properly!” She sobbed and slammed a fist into the bed, screaming in frustration. She sat there, tears dripping down her face while birdsong chirped outside and sunlight shone through the window, illuminating her silver feet.

The door slammed open, and the guard stormed into the room, a teeth flashing in a grotesque smile. “Alexandra Stossel, your case was just decided. After you are discharged, you will be transferred to a group home for delinquent mechs.”

“No, no, no, no, the woman said I had a good case!” Alex yelled, pushing herself off the mattress.

The guard smirked and lowered his gun at her. “Come on, just give me a reason,” he taunted. She flinched back, covering her head with her hands. The second guard flew through the open door, crashing into his partner and knocking him to the floor. His head hit the metal bed frame with a sickening crack.

The man in the dirty hat burst in a moment later, locking eyes with her and sprinting to her. He grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards the door.

Alex blinked, stunned as her captor pulled her through the door. “Hey, let go of me you hobo freak!” she yelled, digging her heels into the floor.

The man growled, “Shut up, brat!”

She tried to yank her wrist out of his grip, but the old man somehow held on. He looked like he was about sixty and hadn’t seen a shower or a decent meal in about thirty years, but he managed to withstand the force of her mechanical arm.

“That ain’t gonna work on me, girlie! Now either shut up or I’ll knock you out!” he hissed.

“No! Screw you! My family is back there, I can’t leave them!” Alex yelled.

The man spun around, yellow teeth bared. “Listen here, girlie! Your family can’t help you now. I’m trying to save you from the damn mines! You lost your case, if the hospital find you they’ll send you off to work in a factory in some backasswards town and you’ll never see your family again. Come with me and you’ll have your freedom.” 

Alex glared at him. “Why should I believe you?” she spat.

“What the hell do I want from you?” he shot back, “What benefit do I have from rescuing a pissy little pre-teen brat? If I wanted to use a mech, I’d get an adult. As I see it, you either have some faith in me or you become a slave.”

Alex snarled, clenching her fist. “Fine. Where are we going?”

The man chortled, “I’ll tell you after we get there. If you fuck up and are caught I won’t let you drag the rest of us down with you.”

“The rest of us?” Alex questioned.

“Mechs, you stupid child. Now shut up,” he said, putting a palm over her mouth.

She recoiled as he touched her, the stench of body odor and tobacco smoke overwhelming her and bringing tears to her eyes. She knocked his hand away, trying not to gag. He ignored her struggles, peering around a corner of the corridor. “This way,” he hissed, gesturing for her to follow. He crept into the hallway, leading Alex towards a set of swinging doors. He held them open, pushing her through.

She stumbled, but an arm snapped out and grabbed her. A old Hispanic man was standing behind a shelf, out of sight of anyone in the hallway, smiling at them. “Al, don’t push the girl, she can barely walk,” he scolded, stepping into the light.

“Shut up, Fingers,” the first man, Al, said.

The second man rolled his eyes, turning to Alex. “Sorry about him, Al’s just a little crotchety,” he said, turning to Alex. “What’s your name?”

She blinked, “Alex, Alex Stossel.” These two were clearly in league with each other, but she didn't understand what they wanted with her.

He grinned, “It’s nice to meet you, Alex! As nice as it is to chat, we should leave. We don’t want security to find us after all!” Alex nodded, dumbfounded.

 “Come on, moron,” Al growled, grabbing them both and dragging them down the abandoned hallway.

 “This is the old morgue,” Fingers explained as they walked through the doorway. “There’s an an entrance to the basement from here, and from there we can escape without alerting the guards.”

“Be quiet! I think I can hear someone,” Al hissed, smacking the other man's shoulder. Fingers fell silent, the smile dropping from his face. His eyes hardened, and he stepped in front of Alex. Al released them, stalking forward. He peered around the corner, posture tense. Without looking back, he waving the other two over. “Clear so far,” he whispered.

Fingers nodded, “All right, let’s keep going.”

Al shook his head. “The kid can’t be quiet, it sounds like she’s stomping everywhere. I’ll scout ahead, make sure a nurse didn’t come down for a smoke or something,” he said.

Alex bristled, but a look from Fingers stopped her from protesting. Al smirked and disappeared around the corner. Alex heard the creaking of a door and then the corridor was silent. She glanced at Fingers, anxiety twisting her stomach.

He glanced down at her, giving her a soft, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Al’s been doing this for a long time, he knows what he’s doing,” he murmured, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Alex shivered and leaned against the wall. “If he finds them is he going to hurt them?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “Not if he can get around them. If they’re off in a back room he’ll just note where they are and figure out how to avoid them. If they’re in our path he’ll knock them out. If he hurt someone, the cops would think you did it and would come after you. We wouldn't be able to rescue you then.”

There was loud crash from Al’s direction, and she could hear Al’s muffled shouting. A few moments later, he came stomping back, a sheepish blonde boy in tow. “You need to keep a better eye on your apprentice,” he spat, pushing the boy towards Fingers.

“Really, Jake? You followed us?” Fingers chided, crossing his arms.

The boy winced. “Sorry, I just wanted see the new girl,” he said, rubbing the bright hand print on his wrist.

Fingers sighed and turned to his partner. “Was that necessary, Al? You need to be more gentle with the children.”

Al scoffed, “Pretty Boy here needs to toughen up. The coast is clear, though, he did one thing right.”

“I have a name, Al,” the boy, Jake, said.

“You’ll get a name when you earn it. Now quit stammering and move!”

Fingers rolled his eyes and prodded Jake and Alex forward. They walked along a long, thin hallway and then down a flight of stairs. They immersed into a dark, abandoned room. Cobwebs hung all along the ceiling and dust covered sheet covered furniture, but past that the room was unremarkable. Al walked into the middle of the room, putting his hand against a large filing cabinet. “Boy, come here and push this,” he ordered.

Jake rolled his eyes, pushing up his shelves to reveal two silvery metal arms. Alex’s eyes widened as he stepped forward, glancing at her own, clenching her real fist. Jake placed his palms against the cabinet. He pushed it forward, wincing as the metal scraped across the floor, the cabinet screeching long and slow as it scraped against the floor.

“Don’t mark the floor, boy!” Al barked, crossing his arms. His sleeve crept up, and a sliver of dented metal shone. Jake grunted and shoved the cabinet forward. He turned to Al, glaring at the irritating old man.

Alex’d brow furrowed. The flooring that had been under the cabinet was completely unremarkable, dirty old tile that was indistinguishable from the rest. “Was there a point to that? There isn't anything there,” she said, looking to Fingers.

He laughed, “Of course there was! Jake, would you mind showing her our little secret?” The boy scowled at Al before kneeling. He shoved his fingertips into a small crack and heaved. Alex gasped in surprise as a large square of the floor came loose. He grimaced and pushed until the tile was leaning against the metal cabinet. Nestled in the concrete was a rusty metal disk printed with the city’s crest. “Is that a manhole? Are we going into the sewers?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Yep! It’s not so terrible, you’ll see,” Fingers said, pushing her forward.

“Fingers, you go first, show the kids how it’s done. I’ll keep watch,” Al ordered.

The other man nodded, stepping forward. He knelt and grabbed the disk, pulling it up to rest against the tile. “Down the rabbit hole we go,” he murmured, gesturing to the dark hole. He turned around, putting his leg into the hole. He stepped onto the rung and gestured for her to come forward.

She stepped towards the hole, eyeing it. Dirt and filth encrusted the wall, and there was a dead cockroach in a notch in the wall. Fingers was standing on a series of metal rungs embedded in the wall, and several yards past him she could see a concrete path.

“Come, we need to leave as fast as possible,” he urged. Worrying her lip, Alex followed. She stepped down the same way he had, clinging to the metal. She glanced into the hole, watching the older man descend. When he reached the bottom, he stepped away and gestured for her to follow. “Don’t jump,” he warned, his voice echoing.

Alex nodded and lowered herself, trying to avoid the filth encrusted walls. After a few moments, she climbed to the bottom, cautiously stepping down onto the solid concrete. Fingers clapped her on the back, giving her a wide grin. Jake jumped after her a moment later, landing silently in a crouch.

“I thought Fingers said not to jump,” she accused.

Jake shook his head, “He was talking to you. I only have one fake leg, and I know how to land without cracking the concrete.”

There was a loud scraping sound from above and a moment later Al joined them. “Let’s go, the faster we put distance between us and the hospital the better,” he ordered.

The group walked down the tunnel, Alex hurrying to keep up. Her legs weren’t acting as she expected them to, and she kept stumbling over the debris littering the path. Al slowed to walk beside her, pulling her to her feet whenever she stumbled. “You'll need a lot of practice, kid,” he grunted.

“I’m not a toddler, I know how to walk,” she growled.

Al raised a brow, “Fine.” He sped up to walk beside Fingers, ignoring her.

Alex grit her teeth, glaring into the old man’s head. She focused on placing her feet, making sure they were firmly planted before pushing forward. She kept up for several tunnel lengths, somehow managing to not face plant on the concrete. After they rounded a dozen turns Jake spoke. “So, I managed to pickpocket this dude at the hospital,” he admitted.

“You are a moron, it’s a miracle you didn’t get caught,” Al growled. “Was it a good score?”

The younger boy shrugged, “It was decent, I guess. He only had a few bills on him, a hundred credits at most.”

“You robbed someone at a hospital? What is wrong with you?” Alex hissed. 

The boy blinked at her vitriol, his brow furrowing. “It wasn’t a patient!” he stammered, “It was a nurse! I’m not a horrible person.”

Al scoffed, “What does it matter if he pick pocketed someone at that damn place? Bios have plenty of cash, we need it more.”

Alex stopped, gaping at them. “How can you be so callous? They could have sick family, they might need that money for hospital bills!”

“Alex,” Fingers interjected, “There are no sick people in that place. Everyone inside that hospital is doomed to become a mech if they don't die of their injuries. Even if Jake went after someone with family there, a hundred credits won't help them. Do you know how much your attachments cost?”

She paused and shook her head.

“Four hundred and fifty thousand credits. Per limb. That’s about half of the average person’s income over their entire life. Either they'll have the money to pay the bills now, or they never will. Either way, that much money is irrelevant them, but it will help us. We have our own sick that need medicine, hungry people that need to eat, children that need care. Taking that money means we can stay alive for one more day.”

Alex crossed her arms, “It still doesn’t seem right,” she muttered.

“We don’t care, princess. Give it a while, once you’ve gone to bed hungry for a few weeks in a row you won’t care about some lifted pocket change,” Al growled, “now either keep moving or we leave you behind, got it?” She glared and closed her mouth.

They spent the rest of their trip in tense silence. Al led them through the sewers, Fingers beside him, but Jake slowed to stay with her. He nudged her away from potholes hidden in the darkness and pointed to pipes or wires hanging from the ceiling. The sewers twisted back and forth, and there were long stretches where she could have sworn they were moving closer to the hospital. The longer they walked, the more uneasy Alex became. Dozens of narrower channels intersected or branched off theirs, and once in awhile, humanoid shadows danced along the walls. The only light came from a series of flickering light bulbs strung along the ceiling, casting the tunnel in an unnatural yellow hue.

The group rounded a new turn, but instead of another dingy corridor, an old, stained cloth draped across the opening. Rags tied it to a series of hooks embedded into the wall, obscuring the rest of the tunnel. After looking it over for a minute, she realized that it was a curtain cut into two pieces instead of a single solid sheet. Al strode forward, pushing the cloth aside.

Alex winced at the brightness that flooded the tunnel, shielding her eyes. Jake pushed her toward the curtain, and she stepped past the fabric. She found herself in a wide cavern, standing on a raised platform. Several people sat scattered around the room, carrying out various tasks. A man and a young boy stood off to the side, hovering over several enormous cooking pots. A group of teenagers were sitting in a circle, sifting through a heap of clothing and chatting. An elderly woman perched on a battered sofa, a clipboard and several binders beside her.

“Hey, Al and Fingers are back!” a girl yelled from the circle of teens, waving a rusty metal arm at the newcomers. The crowd turned to gaze them, staring. Alex could feel their eyes on her, judging her. She was struck by how similar it felt to the day she transferred schools, the only black girl in a sea of rich white kids. The group of ragged, dirty mechs were a far cry from her prissy, upper class classmates but the untrusting, judgmental glances were the same. “Who’s this?” the girl called.

“Mira, stop yelling,” Al growled, pushing their group into the room.

She laughed, shaking her head. She strode forward, brilliant red curls falling over her shoulders to frame her face. "You're no fun, Al," she complained. She turned to Alex, “Ignore him, he’s harmless, just really crotchety,” she said, winking at her. Alex blinked, “Uh…” Mira giggled, “What’s your name, hun?”

“Alex. Her name is Alex,” Jake interjected.

Mira grinned. “Nice to meet ya, Alex!”

She jerked her head, a blush rising over her cheeks. “Yeah. Um, nice to meet you too,” she said.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to people,” Jake said, pushing her into the cavern. Mira followed behind, They spent the next few minutes doing whirlwind introductions, and Alex forgot almost everyone's names within a minute. There were dozens of mechs in the large room, but according to Mira, many people weren’t there at the moment.

“A lot of the kids are in another of the tunnels, we try to educate them, at least a little. Emmy and Juan run a little unofficial school that helps them learn to read and write, do math, that kind of thing,” she explained, “and then some of the adults are out getting supplies.”

“Is that where Mikhail and Adohi are? I thought the three of you would die if you were more than five feet apart,” Jake joke, coming up from behind Alex.

Mira rolled her eyes. “Hardy har har, I’ve never heard that before.”

Jake laughed, “I’ll be here all week.”

“Unfortunately,” Mira grumbled, crossing her arms. “Anyway, most people go out in pairs to gather supplies, it’s easier pull of hits if you have a partner. So once people leave this place clears out in a hurry. It’s almost dead here during the day, but once it reaches about ten o’clock everyone comes home.”

Alex nodded, mulling over the information. “So, what do you do during the day?” she asked.

Mira shrugged, “This and that. Depends on the day and the time. On a normal day, we’re organizing supplies and taking note of what we need Fingers to get. But besides that it a mishmash of watching the kids and helping Pierre cook.”

Alex bit her lip, brow furrowed. “What will I have to do?” she asked.

“It depends on your mentor,” Jake answered, “and if you have a particular talent for something. For a few weeks you won’t be able to go up to the surface, the cops will watch for you too closely. But in the meantime it's up to your mentor. When I first got here Fingers marched me around the tunnels until I could walk anywhere with my eyes closed.”

“I had Mikhail shovel rubble out of a tunnel for two weeks,” Mira chirped.

“Yeah and he wouldn’t stop complaining while you and Adohi laughed at him,” Jake shot back.

Alex blinked, “I am so confused,” she stated, "who are these people? Why did Mikhail need to shovel rubble?"

Mira laughed, but took pity on her. “Once a new mech comes here they need to learn to do stuff so that they don’t get us all caught. A mentor is someone who’s been here longer and has some amount of respect in the community. They teach them how to control their new limbs, how to steal, how to fight, stuff like that. Fingers is Jake’s mentor, has been for about five months now. I was Mikhail’s mentor, but we worked really well together, so now he’s my partner along with Adohi.” 

“And partners the ones you go out with after you don’t need a mentor anymore?” Alex questioned.

“Yep! I have two, but that’s pretty unusual. Though usually it’s only me and Adohi going after hits, Mikhail usually follows us and only steps in if things blow up. For some reason people are pretty wary around a six foot two Russian guy who never smiles,” she joked, smirking.

“Only because they don’t know you,” Jake snorted, “otherwise they’d run for the hills whenever you showed up.”

Fingers walked up behind his mentee, giving him a disapproving glare. “Jake! Be nice to Mira,” he scolded, crossing his arms.

The boy yelped, spinning to face his mentor. “Fingers! I wasn’t… I didn’t…” he sputtered, blushing

The old man chuckled, “Don’t try to lie to me, boy. I heard everything you said. But that’s not why I came over. I actually need Alex.”

“What do you need?” she asked.

“I was going to explain and tell you about mentors, but I see that these two beat me too it. We’ve picked someone out for you, and it would be best if you got to know each other immediately.”

“Who got her? Anna? Trevor? Sota? You aren’t taking on another kid are you?” Mira questioned.

Fingers shook his head, “Oh goodness no, this one is more than enough trouble for me.” He elbowed an indignant Jake.

“Alright, where are they?” Alex asked, looking around the room, curious.

The man smiled, “Come with me. Mira and Jake can come along if they want.”

Mira shook her head, “Nah, I’ll talk to you later, Alex. I have to finish divvying up the new clothes.”

Fingers smiled. “It’s so nice to see young ones who actually do their work.”

“Hey, I do my chores!” Jake protested.

His mentor laughed. “I never said you didn’t.”

Jake huffed. “You implied it,” he accused.

“Yes, yes. Alex, would you follow me?” She blinked but nodded. They walked back across the room to the entrance where they had first entered, dodging past a group of young adults playing cards. Al was there, along with a group of older adults who were discussing something quietly. They fell silent once Alex came within earshot, glancing at her.

“That was quick,” an old woman in a faded sweater commented.

Fingers smiled, “Yes, Jake and Mira decided to fill her in, so I didn’t have to do anything.”

“Just as well. As long as she knows what’s happening,” the woman said, “we decided on a mentor for you, child. Alexander will teach you how to live among us.”

Alex frowned “Alexander? Who’s that?”

“That’d be me, girlie,” Al said.


	3. Chapter 3

“I hate you so much,” Alex grunted, dropping the massive pot into place. 

Al looked up from the notepad in his lap, smirking. “I don’t care, princess. Now, chop chop, those pots won’t clean themselves,” he replied. 

She groaned and straightened up, cracking her back. “Where on earth did you even get so much cast iron cookware? What did you do, rob a kitchen supply store?” 

“A warehouse, actually,” Al answered, “but that’s not important. Pierre needs those clean if he and his boy are going to make dinner. If you make dinner run late I’ll make sure everyone knows it’s your fault.” 

She glared at him, but tugged up her sleeves and walked over to the hose and the pile of dirty dishes. A pair of younger kids sat there, washing the plates and bowls, scrubbing away happily as they chattered. She grimaced and picked up the next cauldron, pulling it away from the pile. Picking up the hose, she sprayed the inside of the pot, wrinkling her nose as chunks of vegetables came loose, swirling around the water. Once the pot was reasonably rinsed off, she dropped the hose and wrapped her fake hand around the handle. She dragged it over to a small grate, setting the pot down next to it.. She tipped it over and watched the dirty water flow out, falling several meters to splatter into the real sewers. “Is it even safe for this to exist?” she asked, turning to her mentor, “what if the CCA realizes that we’re dumping crap here?” 

“It’s fine, it dumps straight into untreated sewage that gets processed with the rest of the city’s waste. We have a guy that works in the Department of Sanitation on our side, too. He lets us know when someone will be coming by so we aren’t doing dishes or whatever when someone might see or hear.”

“That isn’t exactly reassuring,” she informed him, brow raised. 

Al rolled his eyes, “We’ve been doing this for decades, Princess, we know what we’re doing. Now shut up and finish the dishes.” 

She groaned, trudging back and grabbing an old sponge and a half empty bottle of blue dish soap. The two kids burst into giggles, their shoulders shaking with laughter. She grimaced and squirted the inside of the pot with the soap and a short burst of water. Dropping the soap and the hose, she knelt next to the iron cauldron and got to scrubbing. With her real hand, she ran the sponge over the metal sides, gripping to rim with her prosthetic to keep from toppling over. Once it had been thoroughly scrubbed, it was once again rinsed off with the hose. Alex stood and grabbed the handle with both hands, dragging it over to the pile of cleaned dishes. She tipped it over on a patchy rag, clapping her hands together once and reaching of the next dish. 

“Alex! Hey, Alex!” Mira yelled, bursting into the tunnel. 

She startled, whipping around to face the sudden noise. “Mira? What are you doing here?” Alex asked, her eyes wide. 

The redhead grinned and ran over to her, grabbing her real hand. “Come with me, I want to introduce you to some people!” she chirped, squeezing Alex’s fingers. 

“W-wait, what?” Alex asked, her cheeks heating up. 

“Some people just came back from a hit, you ought to meet them! You’ve only seen a few of the mechs here, you’ll need to meet them eventually, so why not now?” she asked, smiling.

“Maybe because she’s in the middle of something?” a guy’s voice said. 

Alex looked over Mira’s shoulders at the new arrivals. Two guys in their late teens stood at the tunnel’s entrance, their eyes on Mira. The one of the left was massive, easily over six feet tall with broad, muscular shoulders. He was pale, almost ghostly white with cropped brown hair and the scruffy beginnings of a beard. The one on the right was smaller, only coming up to his companion's shoulder. Two braids of thick black hair flowed over his shoulders, tapering out at the bottom of his rib cage. For some reason, he was wearing the uniform of a postal worker, the tawny fabric standing out against his olive brown skin. 

“Adohi, why are you pretending to be a mailman?” Al asked, not glancing up from his screen. 

“Sota’s idea. We just got back from a gig and I haven’t been able to change yet. We were after a shipment of bolts and somebody had to replace the droid,” he explained. 

“Wait, bolts? Like the things you put on the ends of screws?” Alex asked, puzzled. “What do you need those for?” 

Mira laughed, “No, that’s a nut, and that’s not what we’re talking about. Bolts what we call the prosthetics. He’s saying they took a bunch of limbs for the people that need new ones.” 

Alex frowned, glancing down at her own prosthetic. “Why would they need new ones? What’s wrong with the one they have?” she questioned, flexing her fingers.

Mira giggled, “You have a lot to learn, Alex. These things are pretty sturdy, but once in a while they break or someone needs a replacement. Take Mikhail here,” she gestured to the pale teen, “last year his arm got run over by a truck, but because we had spares he didn’t have to walk around with a squashed arm for the rest of his life. Not to mention, kids outgrow their original limbs and need replacements fairly often, maybe every two or three years until they’re adults. Take your arm for example. Right now, it matches your bio arm exactly. It’s the same length, the same shape, but what happens when you age a few years? Your bio arm will grow and mature, but your bolt won’t. So, once and awhile we have to go out and get new ones for the kiddies so they can walk, grab stuff, generally look like bios so they can fit in topside.”

“I guess it would look just a little off if one of your legs was way shorter than the other one,” Alex joked, “you’d have to waddle everywhere.” 

“Great, now are you done? My apprentice needs to get back to work,” Al interrupted, glaring at the redhead. 

“Oh, lighten up Al, we’re just borrowing her for a little while,” the first guy said, “we’ll bring her back in like twenty minutes, promise.” 

Al glared at the newcomers, keeping silent for a few tense moments. He sighed and waved his hand at them. “Whatever, but if she’s not back by then I’m coming after you. I know where you sleep Mikhail.” 

Mira whooped, squeezing Alex’s hand and pulling her toward the tunnel. “Thanks old man!” she yelled over he shoulder.

Al made a rude gesture towards the teens, his attention returning to his tablet. 

The older girl tugged her over to the two guys, giving her a wide smile. “Alex, meet Mikhail and Ahodi! Guys, this is Alex, she’s the girl Al and Fingers rescued a few days ago.” 

“Nice to meet you dude, welcome to our little slice of heaven!” Adohi said, giving her a crooked smile. 

Mikhail snorted and elbowed his companion. “He’s obnoxiously cheerful, just ignore him, that’s what the rest of us do,” he told her. Mira giggled, hand flying up to stifle a laugh. 

Adohi rolled his eyes, swatting Mikhail away when he went in for a second dig. “Are we going to go or are you just going to make fun of me all day?” he groused. 

Mikhail chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Fine, let’s go, loser,” he said, grinning. 

“Thank god. If you want to flirt, do it somewhere else,” Al yelled. 

“Yeah, yeah, keep your pants on old man, we’re going” Mikhail yelled. 

“Right! Onward!” Mira exclaimed, tugging Alex forward. She yelped, pitching forward. Adohi darted forward, catching her shoulders as she crashed into his chest. “Sorry Alex, I forget how off balance people are in the beginning,” Mira apologized, squeezing her hand. 

Adohi laughed, clapping Alex on the shoulder. “She hasn’t been here a week and she’s already falling for you, Mira” he said, winking at Alex as he set her upright. Alex yanked her hand away from Mira, cheeks burning.

“That was a terrible joke,” Mikhail complained, “she didn’t even fall towards Mira, she was going to faceplant.” 

Adohi waved him off and gave Alex a wink. 

“Go away!” Al roared, a stylus sailing past their heads and clattering onto the tunnel floor. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re leaving!” Adohi yelled, “and I’m keeping that stylus!” 

“We should probably leave before he decides to make us do the dishes,” Mira suggested. The guys nodded, turning and walking back into the tunnel. “Are you going to be alright or do you want me to help you?” Mira asked, turning to Alex. 

“I’ll be ok,” she grunted, stepping forward. The other girl nodded, pursing her lips. 

Alex followed after the guys, much more sure of herself after three days of tripping over herself every at every opportunity. Still, she was a little envious of the surety the older mechs had in their steps. “Can I ask you guys a question?” she asked. 

“Shoot,” Adohi replied, looking back to give her a quick smile. 

“How many people live here?” she asked, “I haven’t seen a lot of people, but Al and Finger have mentioned a lot more than I’ve seen.” 

The older mech hummed. “Well, that’s a hard question. There are about fifteen to thirty of us that live in this section of tunnel, depending on the season and how successful our hits are. But throughout all the sewers plus the surface camps, though? No clue. The elders might have a better idea, but we try not to congregate too heavily. I think only Fingers knows how many camps there are, and even he isn’t sure where they all are, nevermind how many live there. But my best guess is somewhere around two to three hundred.” 

“That sounds about right,” Mikhail agreed, “I’ve been on a few hits with a few other groups, and I’ve been to three other camps when they needed extra muscle. I've never seen any much larger than ours. I think the biggest had enough space for about forty, but they were trying to downsize.” 

“Why all the secrecy?” Alex asked. The group turned into a larger tunnel, passing a harried looking woman jogging in the opposite direction. 

“Safety. If someone gets caught by the CCA they’re going to get interrogated. The less they know, the less they can tell. It keeps captures from spiraling out of control and getting everyone caught.” 

Alex nodded, mulling over the information. “But you said Fingers knew all the camps, right? Isn’t that a really big risk?” she asked. 

The other three glanced between themselves, Adohi snickering quietly. Mikhail flicked him in the head and turned to Alex. “It would be. If Fingers got caught we’d be screwed. If any of the synths were discovered we’d all be doomed, but luckily for us they’re very good at what they do. Only one of them has ever been arrested and she got out of custody within a few hours.” 

She cocked her head, frowning. “What’s a synth?” 

“It’s what we call the Ones,” Mira explained, “they’re the ones who go out and buy supplies or give us information. The ones that decide to live in camp are in charge of organizing hits and sending supplies to other groups in need. If they live on the outside they scout for supplies and plan rescues”. 

Alex groaned, shaking her head. “Why do you people have code words for everything?” she complained. 

Mira laughed and clapped her on the back. “You’ll catch up eventually,” she teased, winking. 

“Hopefully,” Alex muttered, ears burning. The group stepped out of the tunnel into a small intersection. Three pipes converged in a small room, funneling into a single, larger pipe. 

“We’re here,” Mikhail announced, gesturing to the room in a wide sweeping motion. 

Alex walked past him, looking around. All she could see was the old, dingy concrete that made up the rest of the sewer system. “I thought you said we were meeting people?” she questioned. 

Mikhail grinned, “we are. Look up.” 

She frowned and looked to the ceiling. “I don’t see anything,” she announced. 

Adohi snorted, stepping into the room with her. “Mik, give me a boost will you?” he asked. Mikhail nodded, falling to a knee and knitting his fingers together. “Watch this, kid,” Adohi said, flashing her a wide grin. He stepped in front of Mik, stepping on his outstretched hands and jumping upward. His companion grunted, shoving upward. Adohi’s arms shot up, metal fingers digging into a concrete ledge. There was a gap above the tunnel about four feet tall and fifteen feet wide. 

“I didn’t see that,” Alex said, watching the older teen pull himself up and onto the platform. 

Mira laughed, “I didn’t see it when Mik first took me there either. It’s pretty cool though, I think you’ll like it.” Mik turned, offering his hands to her. Mira grinned and stepped on his hand. She repeated the process Adohi used, jumping up the wall after him. 

“Alright, your turn,” Mikhail said, gesturing to Alex. 

She glanced between him and the ledge. “Right, lets trying this,” she murmured. 

“Try not to fall back down. I can probably catch you but it wouldn’t be too comfortable for either of us if you collapse on top of me,” he instructed. 

“Hold up!” a guy’s voice called out. There was shuffling from up on the platform, and a third guy peeked down. “I’ll grab you and haul you up,” he offered. 

“Good idea. Thanks, Trevor,” Mik said. 

“No problem, dude!” he replied. 

“Right, no time like the present,” Alex muttered. She put her foot on Mik’s hands, bracing herself on her back leg and jumping. Mik shoved her, sending her flying upwards. The other guy cursed and reached out, grabbing her real hand. He grunted as her momentum stopped, gravity trying to pull her back down. She reached up with her prosthetic, grabbing the edge. She started pulling herself up, hissing as the ache in her shoulder flared with pain as she pulled on the seam between her flesh and the metal. Another shove from Mik and a pull from the other guy and she was over the edge. Mira grabbed her fake arm hauling her up and over the edge. 

Alex collapsed on the platform panting. “That was much harder than you made it look,” she accused, glaring at the redhead. 

Mira laughed, “sorry, Alex. You’ll get the hang of it soon though!” 

The new guy snorted and let go of her hand. “Did you even tell her where ya’ll were taking her?” he asked. 

“Nope!” 

He rolled his eyes and turned to face Alex. “Hey, I’m Trevor,” he greeted, giving her a grin. “Alex,” she offered. 

“Trevor, a little help please!” Mik called, impatient. Trevor rolled his eyes, moving back to the ledge and offering a hand. Mik took a few steps back and ran towards the wall, jumping and grabbing onto Trevor’s hand. The other teen grunted, lurching forward. He pulled Mikhail up, letting go when he pulled his way onto the platform. Trevor moved back, sitting down next to Jake. 

She sat back against the opposite wall and took a moment to look around. In addition to Trevor and Jake, an Asian girl she had seen a few times at meals sat cross legged at the far wall. “This is kinda cool,” Alex admitted, fiddling with the frayed seam of her shirt. 

“Thanks! We meet up here when we have the chance, it has more privacy than the main room,” Mira chirped, plopping down and wrapping her arms around Adohi’s neck. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, putting an arm around her waist. 

Mik sat on his other side and rolled his eyes at the pair. “Ignore them, they need to learn to get a room,” Trevor said, picking up a rock and hurling it at Mira. 

The redhead ducked out of the way, letting go of Adohi and sticking her tongue out at Trevor. “Brat. Just wait until you get your first girlfriend, then we’ll see how you like having rocks thrown at your head,” she retorted. Adohi picked up the pebble and chucked it back at Trevor, snickering when it smacked into his forehead. 

Trevor went to grab the rock again, but the other girl snatched it, throwing it out of the alcove into the sewers below. “Why do you act like you’re seven?” she complained, crossing her arms and glaring at Trevor. He cringed and muttered an apology. Satisfied, she turned to Alex, giving her a smile. “I’m sorry about them. They usually act like reasonable people,” she said. 

Jake snorted and shook his head. “That’s a lie and you know it, Mei. You and Mik are the only normal people here, the rest of them are nutjobs.” 

“Yeah, I know you are, but you couldn’t pretend to be sane for a week?” she said, brow raised. Jake ran his hand through his hair, giving her an apologetic smile. Mei rolled her eyes and turned to Alex. “It’s nice to meet you, Alex. I’m Mei Nakamura, the only reasonable one here,” she said, smiling. 

“Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Alex said. 

The other girl nodded, settling back against the wall. “So you go stuck with Al as your mentor, right? Good luck with him, he’s the crankiest person I think I’ve ever met. Kinda weird actually, he and Fingers are such opposites,” she said. 

Alex frowned, cocking her head. “What do you mean? I know he’s cranky but what does Fingers have to do with it? Are they partners?” she asked. 

Trevor snorted from the other side of Jake. “See, Jake? It doesn’t make sense to anyone else either,” he said, elbowing Jake. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Jake muttered, swatting at him. 

Mei giggled, flashing a smirk at Jake. She turned to Alex. “In one sense of the word, yeah. Synths don’t work with others, too much risk and they’re too rare to partner up. Fingers and Al are married, have been for like thirty years.” 

“Seriously?” Alex asked, jaw dropping. 

Mira cackled, “Yep! They showed up together, I think twenty-seven years ago. Al had been diagnosed with late stage cancer and wasn’t responding to treatment so they had to amputate to save his life. Fingers was already helping out as a satellite synth, so once Al woke up they just packed up and moved in. They’ve been here ever since.” 

“Huh. I wouldn’t have realized,” Alex admitted. Al and Fingers were so different, it was hard to imagine them together. Al was cranky and yelled at everyone, not taking even a hint of sass from anyone. On the other hand, Fingers was the very picture of a kindly grandfather. He talked to everyone, always had something nice to say, and was a generally nice person. It didn’t make much sense, but it explained why the two were always together. It seemed like if she and Al were off doing something, Fingers would inevitably be there, often with Jake in tow. 

Trevor chuckled, “I don’t know, sister. It’s weird, but all I know is that if Al gets too pissed, just get Fingers and he’ll calm down.”

“He’s so whipped,” Jake sniggered, elbowing Trevor. The other boy slapped him away, leaning over and hissing into his ear.

“You’re pretty lucky,” Adohi said, “Al is one of the most experienced people here, you’ll be in good hands with him. He’s pretty well known for pulling off risky jobs without getting caught, I’m sure he’ll have a lot to teach you.” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Alex admitted. She was still very unsure about what was expected of her here a week after she arrived. The others talked often about ‘jobs’ and ‘runs’ but never explained what exactly they meant. It was obvious they were stealing most of their supplies, but the way they talked about it sounded less like a series of robberies and more like an old heist holomovie. She had also never been told what her role in those jobs would be, if she would have to steal or even hurt someone. 

A hand fell on her shoulder, giving her a quick squeeze. She jerked around, meeting Jake’s eyes. “It’s not that bad, promise. Al’ll get over himself eventually. He doesn’t mentor often, but when he does he does it well. You don’t need to be nervous or whatever, he won’t throw you into the deep end of the pool before you’re ready,” he reassured her. 

Alex sighed, shoot him a quick smile. “I’m just nervous, I guess. This is all so new, it’s a little overwhelming,” she admitted. She had already been with the other mechs for a week, but she was still getting used to everything she was now expected to do. He laughed, patting her shoulder. 

“Yeah, I get you. It takes everyone a while to adjust. I don’t think I was comfortable with everything for like three months,” Jake admitted. 

“Alright, enough with the depressing crap,” Mira interrupted. “I didn’t call everyone here to be all melancholy and gross, we’re here to have fun. Trevor, you were going to tell us about that old lady you keep knocking into, weren’t you?” 

Alex settled down, sitting with her back to the open sewer as Trevor launched into a story about an old woman he kept seeing on his trips to the surface. 

 


End file.
